Question

Assignment: You are required to create guidelines for communicating effectively using social media. You will research what different organizations have created and also review what your own organization has created to ensure that employees follow the professional guidelines for communicating through social media on behalf of the organization. Now create your guidelines and it should be written in a report-style to your company's CEO. Your report will be a minimum of two pages. If possible include a cover page and a reference page.

Answer 1

GUIDELINES FOR COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY USING SOCIAL MEDIA BY THE EMPLOYEES

OVERVIEW

Most of the employees use social media and the way in which they communicate on social media, gives a lasting impact not only on their online behaviour and reputation, but it also affects the company they represent. Therefore, all the companies normally lay down certain guidelines which can serve as do's and dont's for the employees. The need to review and create a social media policy for our organization is of utmost importance today as having such policy in place can protect the organization from any legal risk which might arise in future due to any employee's post on the social media.

Why do we need such a social media policy?

In addition to protecting our organization and ofcourse, our employees from any future legal hassle (which might arise from any posting by any employee), a guideline actually becomes a positive tool for the company where employees are motivated to follow company's official pages on different platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn Google+, Pinterest, Wikipedia, YouTube, Instagram, Quora, Wordpress, etc.In such platforms, under official pages, employees are empowered to share, respond and engage on any useful topic, article, promotion, scheme, social cause, etc. in the most positive way. In this way, company's brand image is also enhanced.

WHAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE CREATED

Other organizations have created certain guidelines for online communication which are briefly expressed below:

1. PRIVACY: All employess are required to strictly follow company policy guidelines which they were told at the time of their appointment and mentioned in the offer letters as well where they must avoid sharing any confidential company information on the social media. Such types of informations can be sensitive informations like company's future strategies to cope up with competition, any upcoming products, quality issues, technical research oriented news, any financial figures information, sales figures information, or information about other employees or management team.

2. SECURITY: In today's scenario, cyber crime is at its peak and every organization has to protect itself from any online hacking or blackmailing in the event of any cyberbreach. Therefore, employees must limit the usage of online presence and they must be particular about the strength of passwords they are using. They must safely browse internet and use the latest security on their laptops which must be renewed well in time. They should not go to unsafe sites and should not download any content which is malicious in nature.

3. LEGALITY: Every employee must know the legal aspects which include relevant laws pertaining to cyber activities, copyright issues, trademark issues, etc. If they are fully aware, they can protect themselves as well as the interest of the company as well. If there are certail probable issues of breach of any cyber law, they should refrain themselves from posting or responding to such issues and instead seek legal opinion from the company's legal department by immediately informing them.

4. DO'S AND DON'TS: Every employee must be aware of all pros and cons of their activities online and must follow all the do's and dont's which are explained by the organizations. Some of the do's and dont's are:

* Behaving respectfully

* Be gentle, polite, noble and responsible

* Should not post company's internal matters on the social media which might include interaction with other departments like raising issue of increment or salary raise with HR department, informing sales team about their inability to procure sufficient orders so that stocks of goods can be liquidated faster, issues related to their bosses or subordinates, etc.

CREATING OUR OWN COMPANY'S GUIDELINES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA INTERACTIONS

We, as a group of rapidly growing organization, need a more exhaustive social media guideline which can be explained as mentioned hereunder:

1. PRIVACY: All employess are required to strictly follow company policy guidelines as well where they must avoid sharing any confidential company information on the social media.

2. CYBER SECURITY: We have to protect ourselves from any attempt of cyber attack or online hacking or blackmailing in the event of any cyberbreach. This can be done if the employees limit the usage of online presence and they must be particular about the strength of passwords they are using. They must safely browse internet and use the latest security on their laptops which must be renewed well in time. They should not go to unsafe sites and should not download any content which is malicious in nature.

3. LEGALITY: Every employee must know the legal aspects which include relevant laws pertaining to cyber activities, copyright issues, trademark issues, etc. If they are fully aware, they can protect themselves as well as the interest of the company as well. If there are certail probable issues of breach of any cyber law, they should refrain themselves from posting or responding to such issues and instead seek legal opinion from the company's legal department by immediately informing them.

4. DO'S AND DON'TS: Every employee must be aware of all pros and cons of their activities online and must follow all the do's and dont's which are explained by the organizations. Some of the do's and dont's are:

* Behaving respectfully

* Be gentle, polite, noble and responsible

* Should not post company's internal matters on the social media which might include interaction with other departments like raising issue of increment or salary raise with HR department, informing sales team about their inability to procure sufficient orders so that stocks of goods can be liquidated faster, issues related to their bosses or subordinates, etc.

* Social networking should not be used so much that it starts interuppting the normal routine work of the employees.

5. MAKING / ACCEPTING ONLINE FRIENDS: While using official pages, employees have to be extra careful in making or accepting outsiders as friends. They cannot make or accept any friendship request from an ex-employee or a fired employee or an employee of a competitor or any other dubious character.

6. MARKETING DEPARTMENT PROMOTIONS: Social platforms are the best platforms for launching marketing promotions which are intended to increase brand awareness and converting it to business generation. Therefore, the Marketing Manager is informed to use this platform to kick off any compaigns or promotional events and also run advertisements.

There can be several other social media policy guidelines but the above mentioned policies covers most of the points.